Youthful
by shesellsseashells33
Summary: **Sequel to A Beautiful Lie With Jacqueline getting married, and Jack and Christina bidding her goodbye, the two realize that they are nearing the end of their young lives, and Christina is deathly ill. She begins delving in the dangerous. Jack refuses to let his wife die, and it sends the both of them on the adventure of their lives, this time with more than they have to lose.
1. Chapter 1 - The Wedding

** Here it is! Chapter 1! I'm so excited about this, and really hope you guys like it. It's going to show Jack and Christina in a bit of a more maternal and older light for the first few chapters, but don't worry it won't be so dreary for the entire story. Please review and let me know how you like it so far. I'm really really excited to be continuing this story that I started so many years ago and that my childhood imagination hasn't left me quite yet. **

**CHAPTER 1**

**The Wedding**

I had always wanted my child to choose her own way of life, whether that be at the wheel of a ship of the wheel of a family. She had chosen both.

I had never seen Captain Jack Sparrow, my husband - an odd combination of words, no? - so drawn. The ageless pirate seemed to have aged ten years in a single morning, but his mouth was lifted into a wide smile as he marched down the deck of the Flying Dutchman. Jacqueline, his daughter was on his arm, and I could tell he was proud to be showing her off in her long white dress, the train that a little girl was carrying, and the white veil over her face. She was covered in lace and ribbons, which made my eyes water as hers met mine.

Where our daughter had inherited my green eyes, pale skin (though it had not been pale in many years now - now a dark olive) and dark curled hair, she had her father's fire, wit, and fierce love of the sea. From the moment she could speak she insisted on being called Captain Jackie. I had done all I could over the years to keep her from inheriting his lust and irresponsibility as well - but there was only so much a woman could do. She was perfect, though. She had been from the moment she was born. I watched as she walked past me, and gave her an encouraging smile that she did not need as she looked to her right at me, before she mouthed an 'I love you Mama' at me. I nodded my head, a smile on my lips, and watched as Jack took her to the wheel of the ship.

Elizabeth Turner stood next to me and held my hand tightly in hers as she watched her son, Samuel, wait at the bow of the ship beside his father for my daughter to make her way into his arms. Elizabeth was shivering with impatience and kept glancing at the horizon, at the grey morning light which the lanterns hung around the Flying Dutchman did little to brighten, but did make the ship look quite beautiful. "Time is of the essence," William Turner, my other childhood friend, said and the murmurings of the joined crews ceased immediately. "When that sun rises," it was right before dawn, "my day on land will begin and excuse me for saying, I would like to spend it with my wife." a hushed, suggestive laugh trickled through the crowd and it occurred to me that never for a moment, watching Jackie and Sam grow up together, had I doubted this moment had come. Jack made his way back to my side and wrapped his arms around me from behind as I sagged against him. His grip tightened and he kissed my shoulder, holding me upright. At least this way no one would know that I was dying.

* * *

The wedding was swift and the first of many tears coursed down my cheeks as my new son-in-law took Jacqueline into his arms. Jack stiffened as he watched and as the cheers rose up into the sky, I laughed. The laughter in my throat was short lived.

The laughs quickly gave way to coughs - weak coughs that shook my whole body and forced me to fish a rag out of the waistband of my tight trousers. Pressing it to my lips I waved curious and concerned looks away, until everyone was cheering once again. Everyone but Jack.

It was only a short while before Jacqueline was sailing away with her own husband on her own ship (which we may or may not have commandeered for them) with a small crew and a promise to meet us in Tortuga in three months time. Jack and I hugged and bid Will and Elizabeth goodbye, before quickly making our way back to our own ship.

"Where's the rum?" I smiled as I made my way into the cabin, leaving Jack to follow me with a bottle of rum perched in his hand. The sun had begun to peek through the windows, and I pushed the curtains closed, desperate for just a few more hours of night before I had to greet the day. My heart was heavy as I thought of Jacqueline sailing away on her ship with Will Turner's son, but I willed myself not to cry, not just yet. Today was a happy day. She was happy. What she did not know was how lonely she was leaving me behind.

"Finally, that's over." I said, tossing my bandana onto the ground and pulling off my jacket before tossing that as well. Jack was doing the same, taking a swig of rum between movements. I reached out my hand at one point, taking it from him and putting it to my own lips, tipping my head back before uttering a few short coughs and wiping the lip of the neck with my sleeve, handing it back to him. Jack continued to stare at me as he took the rum bottle into his hand, tipping it back and finishing off his gulps with a loud belch that made me roll my eyes as I climbed into bed. He joined me, sitting up, my head in his lap, and I sighed deeply. "I can't believe she's gone."

"The ship's a lot quieter." Jack mumbled, but I knew that he was missing her as well. For her entire life he had doted on her, taught her the ways of the ship. I knew that this was just as hard - if not harder - for him than it was for me. "That's alright, though," he said, almost to himself, "I've got you to make trouble." a short laugh of mine turned into another fit of coughs, and I pulled the same rag out, coughing into it as I leaned over onto his knee, my entire body wracking with every breath. I felt Jack stiffen, and his hand tighten on my shoulder as he held me upward. "It's gettin' worse, luv." he mumbled. I took a moment to breathe, before sitting up slowly and looking at him.

"I'm all right." I said with a little smile before tucking the rag away before he could see it. He took my hand and looked at it, staring at the little scars littering my knuckles from what seemed like a lifetime ago. I looked up from them and leaned in, kissing him on the lips with the same fire that I always had, his beard scratching my chin and sending a pleasant sensation down my spine. I made a little sound against his lips, and leaned closer to him until his hand clasped me behind my neck and pulled me down on top of him. He was gentle with me, and I knew why. His hands reached down to my waist and flipped me over until he was over me, and his lips were trailing down my neck, and I arched my back up.

Jack's eyes were drawn to the rag in his hand as he pushed my trousers from my hips, and I dropped my head against the pillow, face flushed and white shirt thrown to the side as I watched his face darken and his eyes narrow. I did not need to look at the cloth to know what he was scowling at and I closed my eyes against the glare of the red stain where I had been coughing. "Jack..." I mumbled and reached up, taking his face in mine, before pulling him down until his forehead was rested against mine. When I opened my eyes, he was smirking at me in that way that he did.

"Did you think you could keep this a secret from me, luv?" he asked softly, before, without waiting for an answer, kept kissing my neck and down to my chest.

_If only you knew... _was the only thought that went through my mind before I was consumed by Jack Sparrow's hands.

**Pwease review!**


	2. Chapter 2 - Tia Dalma

**Last one for this story for tonight. Sorry it's so super short and so mysterious. Hopefully I'll be updating soon, but like I said, this is only a sneak peek into what's to come! **

**Check out my other stories perhaps as you're waiting for the next chapters to come out and let me know what you think over there too. xoxo**

**CHAPTER 2**

**Amen**

Once Jack had fallen asleep his head against the pillow snoring softly and his arm around my shoulders, I crawled out of bed, pulled on his long shirt, and made my way out the door of our cabin, stooping on the way out to grab the violin that he had given me so many years ago. I walked out onto the deck of the ship that would never replace the Pearl, which Jack and I had been spending the past two years searching for, before all trace of her had gone missing. The Hammer was a monster of a ship, and carried its name well. The intimidating ship was huge and plowed through the water like... well, like a hammer. I was glad for the satisfied feeling in my body that was hardly present, stemming from my thighs to the warmth in my chest. I had pulled my bandanna back into my hair, to keep the soft mid-morning wind from blowing my long curly brown hair from my face.

At almost 39, I liked to think that I still looked as young as the moment that I had met Jack as a young woman, but I knew that that was not true. Jack was only a few years older than me, but both of us knew that we were getting older with every passing dawn. To be honest, it scared us both. The plague in my chest was cutting my life short, I was sure of it, and it angered me beyond belief. With a glance over my shoulder, I walked down the gangplank to the dock, making little noise under my bare feet. With the mask in my hand, I crossed into the tiny town on the coast that we had all docked at. There was not a soul in sight, and I was happy for that as well. Lots of reasons to be happy this morning, except the dark red stain on the cloth beside my bed.

The forest floor scratched and poked the bottoms of my feet as I crossed into the shelter of the trees. She had to be waiting for me, and within a few moments of walking into the forest, I had removed the shirt that covered my body, leaving me completely naked, and donned the mask that covered my eyes and extended to the sides of my face.

"Masquerade... paper faces on parade..." I mumbled in song and crossed to the tiny pond that lay in the clearing only a minute's walk ahead of me. I stood at the side of the lake, staring into the dark water even in the sunlight. I was sure she would be here...

"Young one..." the voice made me turn around, and I watched as another woman, just as bare as I was, came walking from the shore. She had not been there a moment ago. I bowed my head and curtsied before rising my bright eyes back up at her. "I did not t'ink you would come."

I stood there for a long moment, before I extended my hand to her. "I wouldn't miss it on my life, Tia Dalma."

"Call me Calypso."


End file.
